Sarim Irfan
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Writing For
GameLusterLatest Reviews
Stealth games tread a fine line. To create true tension without completely disempowering the player is no small feat. It requires finesse—an understanding of what brings complication without frustration, and a willingness to let the player experiment. From developer Spikewave Games, Evotinction accomplishes… absolutely none of the above.
With great movement to carry it over its myriad stumbles, Akimbot does its best to both live up to it inspirations and carve out an identity of its own.
From Squid Shock Studios, Bō: Path of the Teal Lotus is a stunning metroidvania with a large platforming focus. Bō displays impressive potential throughout its runtime, combining smooth traversal with unique combat mechanics to such a degree that I can describe it as a true romp. Unfortunately, that potential is never fully realised, leading to a path most haphazard.
From RedCandleGames, Nine Sols is an indie Soulslike Metroidvania. At this current point in time, that exact combination of words feels anything but unique. The indie scene, though brilliantly diverse and innovative, is chock full of games trying to establish a new spin on seamless exploration and punishing combat. Many try, some succeed, and perhaps far too many fly under the radar. Nine Sols, steeped in its own unique, Chinese-inspired mythos, unquestionably stands out.
Content rich, mechanically deep, and stunning from an audiovisual sense, Tekken 8 cements itself as the current king of fighters for newcomers and veterans alike.
Fighting games are no stranger to reinventions—they do it with every iteration. However, something as grand as an entire narrative reboot is a slightly bigger undertaking. Crafting a timeline is hard work. There’s lore to rewrite, worlds to build, and fanservice to find space for. Fortunately, these responsibilities also present an opportunity for imaginations to run wild. Just what would you do with power over time itself? Thanks to one iconic Shaolin, we now have quite the answer.
Armored Core VI revives an old series and takes it to brand new heights, creating an addictive gameplay loop that will keep me playing to NG++ and beyond.
To pay homage to what came before is not just a nice gesture, it is a serious responsibility. An artist must carefully pick apart what makes their subject special, and capture that essence in a new work. Not only that, they must then innovate. Add something new and push existing greatness further still. It is a significant challenge—one that the team behind 30XX have now successfully risen to.